Page 19 of Cold Light of Day

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that there’s probably not a boat and your instinct about Sarah lying is correct. Like a lot of law enforcement officers, you’ve got that uncanny sense about people.”

That forbidden forest green again. Was Autumn imagining it, or had fear flashed in his eyes? There one second, gone the next.

“Let’s talk about the body.” She grimaced. “You seemed to know a lot about the current surrounding the wreck, so I’m going to go with that. The current could have carried the body there, but I don’t know that it would have lodged in the wreck, in the helm, like that. What do you think?”

“It’s possible. Anything is possible. But you won’t know until someone gets a closer look.”

“Did you see anything that would suggest foul play?” She stood and stepped to the kitchen, then leaned against the counter.

He shook his head. “I saw what you saw. Is it a crime scene or a secondary crime scene? Was he murdered and stashed in a shipwreck, which...why would anyone do that? If you want to handle it as a crime scene, that’s your call. But since it’s recovery and not rescue, it could take the dive team a couple of days or more to get out here. They’re busy rescuing people all over Alaska.”

Autumn lifted her mug but stopped, pausing at Grier’s contemplative, distant look. “Why do you bring that up?”

“They’re all capable volunteers with the right check marks in the right boxes.”

And activated by the state search and rescue coordinator. “I know this, Grier.”

“It’s helpful when communities can have their own water rescue and recovery teams, that’s all.” He frowned and stared hard into his mug.

The boat swayed and rocked, and she tried to ignore the roll of her stomach. “You’re the only diver I know locally. I’d rather hand this off. Unless you know someone else who’s experienced in recovery and investigation, if this turns out to be a crime scene. But I’ll still contact Alaska Dive and run this scenario by them. They might defer to the Coast Guard, for all I know.”

His expression softened, and amusement surged in his eyes. “I see what you’re doing here. You’re trying to get me to put together a small dive recovery team.”

“Me? What?”You’re the one.She shifted forward, wanting to know more.

“I think it’s a good idea to build up your own resources, despite funding issues. Show them what you’re made of, with or without the state’s help. Maybe you feel the sting of betrayal, but you’re still in charge.” He drank from his mug, his eyes snagging hers over the rim.

Her heart spasmed at the connection. The emotion that flashed.The sting of betrayal.He’d said the words as if they meant something personal to him. Like he’d gone through something similar.

“What do you think? Should we keep this local?” he asked.

We?And then, suddenly she got the impression that he had his own reasons for wanting to keep this local. Or was it her imagination again? Maybe she dove too deep today and her brain was fuzzy.

She dumped the remains of her cup into the sink, then rinsed it out. Think, she had to think. “Let’s say I said yes, then who doyou know who’s qualified for a recovery?” Because for whatever reason, she had no doubt Grier had resources. “I can’t afford any mistakes.”

Maybe asking Grier for help in this would be her next misstep.

But she didn’t think so.

“A friend in Haines is trained in underwater investigation and recovery. Tex is a volunteer on the Alaska Dive Rescue team, so I’d start with him.”

“Tex?”

“Yep. His real name is Blaze Johnson, but I just call him Tex.”

“I assume he’s from Texas.”

“He is.”

Okay, then. “And you think he’ll do this for us? Because I’d really like this taken care of as quickly as possible.”

“I figured you might not want to draw negative attention to the community.”

Or myself.

He hadn’t added that last part, but he’d pegged her motivations. And that was part of why she was talking it over with him first—someone who wasn’t in her police department. If possible, she wanted to keep politics out of it.

If only she could talk to Dad.

---